One in the eye for Paul

Tottenham Hotspur (Spurs) Football Club is located in North London. The club is also known as Spurs. Tottenham's home ground is White Hart Lane. The club motto is Audere est Facere (To dare is to do).

Paul O'Donoghue has revealed his disappointment at his first senior start of pre-season coming to a premature end due to an eye injury.

After seeing Ronnie Henry, Dean Marney and Lee Barnard given first team chances by Glenn, central defender Paul was particularly keen to impress when his turn came round against QPR at Loftus Road last weekend.

Everything was going well in the blazing sun before a clash of heads resulted in Paul having to give way to Henry after just 11 minutes.

"I was gutted," said Paul with no hint of understatement. "I couldn't believe it, I had a few touches and it was good out there. It was nice, all good and it was going well.

"Then I went up for a header and he flicked his head back and caught me in the eye and that was it. I felt the blood but I thought it was just a little scratch.

"Ally (physio) came on and said it might need stitches and I thought 'what's he going on about?'

"I was gutted when he said I'd have to come off. He said I might be able to come back on at half-time, but he was only saying that to please me - I was never going to come back on."

Paul's eye injury required seven stitches, but he can console himself with the fact that he put on a good performance the previous day as a substitute at Gillingham.

"I played half a game the day before and it feels different. You've got time on the ball and there's people running everywhere.

"It just felt so good out there when I was there against QPR. I felt so good during the warm-ups, serious. It was a massive disappointment."